Operation Condor is a very funny Jackie Chan movie which is the ‘true’ sequel to the 1987 film Armour of the Gods. The production values are far glossier than his earlier movies – this one is shot on location in the Phillipines, Spain and Morroco. In the film, Chan and three female friends (one Japanese, one Chinese, one German) journey into the desert to find hidden gold – and get into comic scrapes. A scene where Chan flees on motorcycle from the villains through the cramped city streets is one of the most exciting chase scenes on film. Chan gambles with his life in every stunt and action sequence making for an exuberant film that must be seen to fully appreciate Hong Kong action cinema.

Jackie Chan does a great job here, with great camera work, fantastic angles, and keeping the film at a very fast pace! Of course if the scene in the Nazi war room fighting a dozen mercenaries doesnt do it for you, nothing will. Jackie also shows off some cool gadgets along the way and this movie is regarded as the most expensive to make of all his films. I really like Operation Condor, because of some scenes which are so refreshing in this world of rehashed Hollywood. The wind tunnel scene has already been mentioned in other reviews, but it really is amazing to watch. It captures the thrill of travel and adventure much better than a James Bond movie, because somehow the adventuristic ambience is more strongly felt if that makes any sense. I feel it captures it better than even an Indiana Jones movie. The reason being that unlike a Bond story, or Indiana Jones story – you really do get a feeling that Jackie is on a “free and easy”, whereas Bond/Jones is a “package tour” if you know what I mean.

As a government agent, Chan is sent out with a female desert guide to search for the tons of lost gold in a buried WW2 Nazi base in North Africa. Along the way, Chan picks up another female accomplice, the German granddaughter of a former base officer. Several other governments are also aware of the gold, but don’t know its location. They either fight Chan or try to follow him to the gold. Good, believable story. Apart from Rush Hour you wouldn’t usually associate Jackie Chan with doing much comedy only martial arts but he does it like a pro and it doesn’t stop till the very end. I can go on and on for years and years watching this and you never ever get bored as there is so much to take in and not enough time. As soon as it is finished you’ll be dying to go back for more and watch it on repeat viewings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANSoIkU4elc

Although there is no one standout fight scene, all the action is good and enjoyable making use of objects in ordinary ways – it’s hard to find fault with Chan, but he has set his own bar high meaning that stuff like this, which is good, often appears to be average for him. One of my favorite pop-corn movies, very entertaining, a must see for newer Chan-fans who missed it. After seeing this film you will agree with me that Chan’s new films can not compete with the ones made in the early 90′s when he was not yet a star in the states. With a healthy dose of Kung Fu action and kickass motorcycle chases, as well as gunfights and ample doses of comedy, Operation Condor is a must own for any Jackie fan.

The weight of anticipation that inevitably falls on a title such as this is practically palpable. Seediq Bale is the most expensive film in Taiwanese history, backed by the government, the ambassador of Taiwan and Producer John Woo and telling a tale of triumph and anguish set across a canvas of historical battles and bloodshed. The Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale to give its full title is currently available in two flavours. The original cut spans across several hours and is available in a two part compendium with a duration of over four and a half hours. The theatrical cut currently doing the rounds of cinemas across the world clocks in at a bum numbing two and a half hours and provides a fast paced if somewhat heavily condensed account of the Wushe Uprising.

Telling the tale of noble tribal chief Mona Rudao and his band of brave warriors and people, Seediq Bale provides an exhaustive account of the conflict that took place between the native Taiwanese people of the land and the newly occupying Japanese forces. Showing the story across a twenty year span of events, we witness Mona’s transformation from young optimist to battered and bruised chief as we bare witness to the atrocities committed by the invading foreigners and the oppressive environment these tribesmen must face.

Much of the films first and second act are a laboured affair as much of the runtime is dedicated to establishing the two sides before the inevitable war ensues. When the battle kicks off though, things really pick up pace as the film is quick to present enough bloodshed to even keep the most gruesome of gore hounds at bay. Quite simply i’ve never seen a film with as many frequent beheadings as this. Nobody is safe, with young men, women, children and even infants meeting grisly ends that will churn the stomach and avert the eyes as a magnitude of bloody deaths take place. The battles are breathless, and deftly paced, Te-Sheng Wei has an amazing handle on his action sequences presenting set pieces that are both astounding yet suitably grounded in reality. Sadly, criticisms must be levied against the nationalistic undertones throughout the piece, The films antagonists are presented as little more than two dimensional snarling villains whilst the heroes are presented so infallibly they are practically messianic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53QsTkZMV1A

Much of the context of Seediq Bale’s fight sequences felt shallow due to much of the cut material making many of the characters motivations impenetrable. One seen in particular involving a ritualistic suicide had me completely confounded to the point of wringing my hands in dismay. Thankfully many of these complaints should be rectified by those brave enough to sit down and watch both acts of the fully uncut version. Suffice it to say Seediq Bale provides an excellent if somewhat muddled account of one of the countries most notable events. With an emphasis on action and some beautifully choreographed sequences courtesy of Te-Sheng Wei, Seediq Bale provides an unexpected slice of big budget action rarely seen since the likes of Brave Heart.

Inseparable presents a bizarre blend of Eastern film making practice with western sensibilities in a Chinese action film starring none other than Kevin Spacey alongside Daneil Wu. Just to be clear this is very much a foreign film made with little to no interaction with the American film industry but is rather a Chinese Blockbuster that exists in a strange universe also inhabited by Gareth Evans Indonesian nasty The Raid. What is presented however is a title that at the very least serves as an interesting curio of what happens when you take an A list star and plonk him down into a foreign landscape.

Li (Daniel Wu) is having problems at home, when we first meet the young man we see him contemplating suicide until he is interrupted by the mysterious American that lives in his apartment block. After talking him out of his plight the enigmatic American known as Chuck (Kevin Spacey) begins to formulate a mysterious three phase plan to rid the world of its evils and set Li free from the drudgery of everyday living. Kevin Spacey’s mad as a sack of hammers performance of Chuck is equal parts western cliché and set chewing genius. Chuck is a crass fast talking loud mouth that is pitted in such an awkward way it feels closer to shallow stereotype than a layered character. Much of this criticism though may be levied by the films demented u-turn in tone and content as revelations about the two characters relationship is revealed in a narrative decision that will most likely divide audiences final impression of the title.

It’s an interesting prospect to consider an A-List star in a title such as this, frankly it would be an all to cynical thought to suggest that perhaps Mr Spacey’s involvement in the film stems from a contractual obligation or hounding by the Chinese government, but quite why he was cast into such a role is probably the film’s biggest secret. On the outset, the character of Chuck could of easily been played by a Chinese national. The fact that Chuck is an American is all together brushed aside apart from a few cursory mentions, and the somewhat jarring mix of Daniel Wu jumping between conversing with Chinese characters and Mr Spacey proved to be more distracting than I would of liked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVGzmjWnKM

Ultimately Inseparable feels like a hodge-podge mix of previously explored ideas. At times the film feels closer to a poor man’s imitation of American hits such as Kick Ass or Fight Club. Suffice it to say Inseparable provides an enjoyable lark for its ninety or so minutes and at the very least a simple joy comes from watching Kevin Spacey’s hilariously tongue in cheek portrayal of an ostensibly offensive stereotype. It’s fair to say that your mileage will vary with a title such as this but for simple no frills entertainment, Inseparable provides a gentle distraction with this action filled culture clash treat

The Elephant On The Bike is a coming-of-age drama about a man whose childhood has been overcast in painful memories due to his disability. Dong-gyu is a disabled man who lives on society’s fringe, unable to cope with the disapproval of those who stare at his damaged hand. As an 11-year-old boy, he was bullied because of his handicap and rode his bicycle alone. Aware of his struggle, his loving father often took him to the zoo to show him the elephants, which didn’t have any hands but could do anything. Dong-gyu is now a grown man, working in a zoo taking care of an elephant. He is introduced to his girlfriend’s parents but rejected. While his ego is hurt, Dong-gyu’s father gets into a car accident, which makes Dong-gyu realize that it was his father’s love that kept him strong in the face of reality. It’s a candid story about one man’s internal struggles as he makes the transition from adolescence to adulthood, carrying the psychological wound caused by his physical deformity, plus the impact of his disability on his family.

Despite the constant social and family conflicts that dampen his already disheartened soul, a glimmer of hope arises as he discovers the ultimate joy of life – loving someone and being loved. In his feature-length debut, Kwon conveys the message that not all physically challenged protagonists end up miraculously overcoming their hardships. A poignant tearjerker minus the superficial themes, The Elephant On The Bike offers realism throughout its heartwarming tale. Life has not been an easy ride for Dong Kyu (Yang Jin Woo) simply because he is missing one hand. Always the target of mockery by his schoolmates, Dong Kyu hated going to school. He couldn’t even ride his favorite blue bicycle, which his father made for him. His only consolation in life was going to the zoo with his father and watching the elephants. Now a grown-up, Dong Kyu works at a small zoo as a zookeeper taking care of elephants.

The Elephant on the Bike deals with evocative and highly emotional material, but first-time director Kwon Yong-kook handles it with precision. Everyday is a routine without major happenings until he meets his girlfriend’s parents and experiences another setback. Life’s cruelty not only takes his girlfriend away from him but also his father who dies from a car accident. Amidst the terrible tragedy, a new face enters his life – Ha Kyung (Kim Jung Hwa), a piano teacher whom he gradually falls in love with. But will this bring a happy ending for Dong Kyu? With these and a number of other recent new films showing a willingness to confront the circumstances of the individual within modern Korean society, the future of Korean cinema at least looks promising indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JczpZgQBTyo

To be quite honest, however, I had a hard time understanding why the title of this movie involved elephants. Then, later in the movie, it shows the little girl who befriended him as a child had drawn a book of an elephant on a bike and then at the end is a song dealing with the connected topics. He worked in a zoo around elephants as well. I found this to be slow, the guy was down all the time, the family was angry and sad, there was no good times or happy times. Neutral films usually have a hard time dealing with the emotions expressed and were basically as unfeeling as his hand was supposed to be until the end when the father dies. However, this is a somber film that is very well worth your time. Recommended.

Speed Angels is a film that wastes a lot of talent such as great actresses from Lust, Caution and an otherwise great director in Jingle Ma. Prior to watching the film I read a review that read, ‘This movie was so bad that by the end of it, I was literally hitting myself in the face’. Ouch. It peaked my curiousity however and I wanted to see just how bad this flick was. SPEED ANGLES tells the story of a group of free and passionate female racers who use their remarkable skills on the tracks to express their dreams, love and desires. If you can’t stomach the cringe-worthiness of my following review of this film, we’d advise you strongly not to venture any further, as it is just going to get worse. I don’t have complete praise for this movie however, in that towards the end of the film they got a little overboard with the editing and I was really let down by the final antagonist type drivers. Speed Angels seemed to have a harder time in the casa cristo race in the film where the other drivers were far more menacing.

That aside, as far as it being a movie and a work of art, I would give this movie high marks in both categories. For it being a movie, it was nice to see something so different as far as the approach to making it go. Also, having such an incredible cast makes it all the more intriguing. Bing (Rene Liu) and Mei (Cecilia Cheung) are best friends as well as teammates in the Speed Angels all-girl motor racing team. However, on the day of her wedding, Bing discovers that her Japanese fiancé, Asano (Kitamura Kazuki) has eloped with Mei. Xiaoyi has problems too: despite being super-talented, she gets performance anxiety when racing, begins crushing on Gaofeng and has ongoing daddy issues. Seems more of a bad romance then a high-octane race film, right? Even visual effects were really bad, looks very cheap, just a bunch of cuts stitched together; it’s like if TV show cuts, shots from home made music video, video game cuts and green screen footage shots were edited together by a drunk person.

I cannot remember the time when I was wishing for a movie to end and then for some strange reason when you thought that the dialogue would not “give” for more minutes of torture, the writers managed to add 20 minute “tranches” for at least three times in the movie. Knowing Jingle Ma, who’s credited as writer, director, and producer, he probably planned on shoehorning in another subplot before realizing that the film was already pushing two hours. I could go on, and I dare say that film courses in colleges should dissect this movie for educational purposes pertaining to how NOT to make an adaptation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMfZj0wAjM

Just as you add depth and complexity to the images, you add depth and complexity to the characters. It is not unprecedented to tell a story at different levels of complexity. Speed Angels had the chance to shine is with its female racers because China never makes a racing drama with female protagonists. I didn’t mind so much the over-use of the green screen if it weren’t so obvious. I mean, come on movie, I want to suspend my disbelief, but you have to help me! This was a blatant wakeup call for China, and I hope this isn’t what is to come for Chinese production in 2012. Good news is, it can only get better from here.

Ever since I opened this website more than three years ago, I received a very big education in the names and licensing of foreign films to western shores. I learned that names aren’t always what they appear to be. First of all, it’s not a sequel to “Operation Condor.” It’s actually the other way around–”Operation Condor” was a sequel to THIS film. Echo Bridge Entertainment finally brings over, in my opinion, one of Jackie Chan‘s best films because it proves that Chan is a one-man moviemaking machine with this one. The basic set-up is that an evil cult who wants all five pieces of the armor of God know that only one person who is able to get the pieces, the “Asian Hawk”! They only have two pieces of the armor and to get Jackie to get the other three pieces, they kidnap his former girlfriend.

There are some incredible sequences at the start (an action packed chase) and at the end of the film (infiltrating the enemy base and a crazy escape plan). In between is some so/so comedy romance moments, the interplay between Jackie and Alan works really well at times producing some great comedy moments Alan’s unwillingness to fight and his clumsiness when he does so really add to Jackies clowning. However, this is not a movie about friendship. In fact, it is not really a movie about anything beyond Jackie Chan’s stunts. In fact, one of the stunts that he did, a stunt that wasn’t very difficult, and had already been done once successfully, almost killed him. Don’t expect anything like Legend of Drunken Master or Who Am I, but there is still a lot of great classic action that you won’t find in today’s Chan films. The trouble is that likable though its characters are, they aren’t believable or that compelling, and the films pace is off, meaning that there is somewhat less in the way of excitement than expected.

There were some very good landscape/skyline shots here, as well. The photography was well done, as the blu-ray copy I have is clean and clear, and the filmography was nicely done, giving you good, interesting angles and the like. There are many memorable scenes, the ones where Chan uses a huge log to fight off the monks, the huge food fight – where chan must face the monks in his typical, and breathtaking – one man vs the world fighting style…the 4 blaxploitation amazon women in skimpy leather outfits – which chan has to fight (see below video to watch). People watch Jackie Chan movies not for deep plot but for superhuman feats of agility. Am I right? This film proves to be satisfying in that manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq0NTCpzgfM

The Armour of God is one of my favorite Jackie Chan movies, and I had the good fortune of actually getting to see it on blu-ray for the first time. For much of the time there’s more clumsy comedy and farce than action, but just as you’re almost ready to give up on it it throws in a half-hour finale with some of Chan’s most impressive stunt fighting, all performed at the height of his ability. Armour Of God is a good example of a Hong Kong action film. The 1980s was a great decade for Asian cinema. It’s a shame really that the U.S. doesn’t understand Jackie Chan films for what they are- Chan films are meant to be enjoyed, they are at times self mockery or fantastic to watch – and if Chan doesn’t do that – then I’m sure its hard to find anyone with the heart, commitment or desire for film-making that he shows so well on screen.

The title of this film is just a lie, I was severely disappointed with the lack of porn or even porn stars, but the violence did make up for it I guess. Toshiaki Toyoda’s debut feature is a brutal whimsy about underground Shibuya and its inhabitants: gangs, hustlers, skateboarders and a whole lot of leather jackets. Our hero is Arano, a tall, mysterious and downright rude ‘bad-ass’ type (you know the kind, I usually cross the road to avoid any confrontation with people like this). When we first meet him he’s doing his usual ‘bass-ass’ thing; knocking into people, pulling an angry face, carrying a big bag (it probably contains weapons because that’s all bad-asses own). He spots a Yakuza member saying something rather impolite, oh those bad-mannered Yakuza, when will they learn hey? Well, now actually. Arano stabs the Yakuza, steps over his squirming body and into the gang boss’ office while all the rest of the gang are stood gawping, asking, “Who the hell is this guy?”

So the Yakuza then kill Arano because that’s what would obviously happen next… Oh wait, it’s that other possible outcome, the Yakuza decide to take on Arano to run with the gang because he’s just so bad-ass (should have figured). Turns out the Boss is a little gloomy as one of his members’ (Kamijo) date club isn’t doing so well. Business is bad and Kamijo will do anything to bring in the yen and as Arano is obviously a nutter who hates the Yakuza, who could be a better choice to accompany him on a treacherous, money-making rage? This will obviously not turn out bad (where is my sarcasm font!?)

The story from here gets a little lost; something about a stash of drugs that they steal from some foreigners and then there’s the rival gang that wear ridiculous-coloured suits (so, typical Yakuza problems then). The focal point of the story is the uncomfortable relationship between Kamijo and Arano as the latter continues to foam at the mouth with manic rage and his internal struggle regarding his disgust of Yakuza. Aside from the crude bloodshed and random orgies, there are some instances of revelation and almost beauty as Arano betrays his beliefs. In one scene he is stood waiting hours in an alleyway for drugs, money or something else ‘gangsta’, Arano looks up into the dark and a shower of knives fall down on him. The blades turn into raindrops as they hit him and soak him, leaving him feeling cleansed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmpwQ7OVGs0

Pornostar was an absolute joy to watch; over-the-top with ridiculous characters and plenty of violence, who doesn’t love that? Toyoda is very able to connect with his audience though he has made the violent-director rookie error: He believes he can be the next Tarantino (this may not be true, but I have decided that it is the only way to explain this movie). If you’re a bit of an oddball with a love for manga and violence then you should watch Pornostar. Don’t however then go and attempt to make your own movie because you will NOT be the next Tarantino. When will people learn?

If I’d have to name my favorite historical setting in a movie, my answer would undoubtedly be Japan’s Sengoku and subsequent Azuchi-Momoyama periods, spanning from halfway through the 15th century up to around 1600. This is probably due to the grand epics Akira Kurosawa has crafted using these historical backdrops for Kagemusha (1980) and Ran (1985) among others. The characters of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu hold a towering position in Japan’s history as the three great unifiers, and whenever I hear one of these names my interest is immediately piqued. The Azuchi-Momoyama era begins when Nobunaga was truly kicking ass and taking names, the ‘Azuchi’ part of the era’s name comes from Azuchi Castle; the castle the title of this film refers to.

Although I was secretly hoping for some samurai action and big battle scenes, I quickly realized this wasn’t that type of movie at all. Castle Under Fiery Skies is pretty much no fiery skies and all castle. The main protagonist of this film is Okabe Motaemon [Toshiyuki Nishida], a carpenter of low standing, who is assigned the task of building Nobunaga’s dream castle. This castle is supposed to become the grandest that has ever been witnessed, positioned at the supposed center of Japan. The location is to be on Mount Azuchi, overlooking Lake Biwa, so that it would be able to be seen from the capital Kyoto, and thus also functioning as a guard for the capital. Nobunaga [Kippei Shiina] initially considers two other famous architects, so he organizes a blueprint-contest where he is eventually swayed by Motaemon’s passion and attention to detail, and grants him the assignment.

After the initial preparations have been made, Motaemon realizes they are going to need one gigantic, perfect tree to form the base pillar of the castle’s keep. Problem is, trees like that only grow on rivaling lord Takeda Shingen’s territory. Motaemon quickly offers himself up to enter enemy grounds and attempt to persuade a local ruler to give them one of their 2000-year old trees. Though this ruler is obviously against it, Motaemon’s display of kindheartedness once again seals the deal by convincing the head lumberjack to deny his coldhearted leader and he is promised the tree. The rest of the film deals with the construction of the castle piece by piece, and of course the many troubles that Motaemon and his crew have to face in the meanwhile; workers being taken away to fight in Nobunaga’s war campaigns, the declining health of his loving wife, and other factors diminishing morale. It all feels a little formulaic and unoriginal, but, in line with the theme of the movie, the heart is definitely there. The climactic scene where the half-finished castle threatens to collapse during a storm and everyone has to give it their all to save it is quite powerful indeed, if only because after watching for 2 hours you want that darn castle to be finished already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0IumCnCIBo

The running time is definitely a main point of critique, though the construction of something so massive is an engaging process to watch, the story could have easily been told in 100 minutes instead of 140. Another thing that is completely beyond me is the tiny little action sequence in the middle involving some near-flying ninjas attempting to assassinate Nobunaga. This scene is completely random and out of place, and not even all that good. The underwhelming CGI effects here and in other parts of the movie unfortunately also take away some of the film’s charm. But, as I mentioned before, despite its many flaws, Castle Under Fiery Skies has a whole lot of heart, exemplified by Nishida. The director of this film had a grand vision and succeeded in crafting a heartwarming tale about determination and perseverance.

While the rom-com (romantic comedy) genre has been a staple formula within general cinema for quite some time now, the South Korean film industry, within the last decade or so, has shown considerable favoritism towards the genre as whole. With one of the most prominent entertainment industries throughout Eastern Asia, the genre of rom-com has permeated throughout popular South Korean films, with such examples as My Sassy Girl (2001), My Little Bride (2004), and 200 Pounds Beauty (2006) being some of the country’s biggest box office showings. What’s there not to like—with a formula that subscribes to two relatively cute leads that eventually fall in love, the recipe couldn’t be simpler. But for every smash hit, there is a plethora of disappointing and shamelessly uncreative films that have plague the genre as well, with the overly exploitative nature of the genre being used simply to garner a quick return profit for film studios. So how does Hwang In-Ho’s Spellbound fare considering its connotations as a film subscribing to the relatively stale rom-com genre?

Surprisingly, Spellbound provides a refreshing albeit familiar take on a genre that is more miss-than-hit these days. Known more for his work as a screenwriter for such films as Sisily 2km (2004) and Love Phobia (2006), Spellbound is Hwang In-Ho’s directorial debut, and given his shared responsibility of both screenwriter and director for the film, shows considerable promise in the latter and continued expertise in the former. The film’s unique premise is as a great example of transcending the tired tropes of the rom-com genre while still retaining elements that have made the genre as accessible—and successful—as it is today. Horror and comedy often exhibit a sense of ambivalence within film, but Hwang handles the two with careful attention as to not have one take precedence over the other, even though the aspect of horror may appear as gimmicky as first. He elicits the elements of horror within Spellbound in a reasonable fashion, effectively bringing about a frightful take on the character’s predicaments but also inserting elements of humor and romance at just the right moments to ease and reassert the film’s genre-specific attributes.

Where the film really shines is the chemistry between Yeo-Ri and Jo-Goo, played here by Son Ye-Jin and Lee Min-Ki respectively. The film humorously builds upon their relationship as co-workers and subsequent budding romance, with Jo-Goo comically attempting to understand the terrifying world in which Yeo-Ri experiences on a daily basis. Son Ye-Jin is fantastic as her role of the loner Yeo-Ri, always attempting to avoid personal contact with individuals and simply accepting her fate as a medium of ghastly supernatural entities. On the other hand, Lee Min-Ki is also great in his role as the rather suave magician J-Goo, who slowly gets absorbed into the world of Yeo-Ri as he takes a liking to her—even if he gets easily frightened at the mere sight of a ghostly figure. Hwang uses the idea of horror in a creative fashion though—we slowly begin to see the aspects of horror within the film as an allegory towards the anxiety stemming from new relationships, in which going out on a limb to date someone that you like is just as scary as experiencing a paranormal encounter. While not as philosophical as one might hope, it complements the film’s creative narrative and removes it from simply following the superficial offerings that the genre widely offers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9KlJouxPm8

Spellbound is rather uncommon in that it successfully combines romance, comedy, and horror within a framework that is supported through its strong cast. Hwang balances these elements in a way that doesn’t produce Spellbound as simply another addition in the long list of unforgettable and substandard rom-com fares, but rather creates a welcoming experience for even the most jaded of film viewers. While the film does become slightly formulaic towards the end—with an elongated conclusion that is just a tad too long for its own good—it certainly provides quite a promising future for director Hwang In-Ho as Spellbound is simply one of the better experiences to come about from one of the most overcrowded genres within contemporary South Korean cinema, reinvigorating it as one still worthy of being innovative, engaging, and just playing fun.

Toshiaki Toyoda once commented that the creatures in Monsters Club were an equivalent to that of Studio Ghibli’s own Totoro. These were beings that could not only represent abstract themes such as life and loss but also present an opportunity for the characters to assess their own actions. What he failed to mention however that somewhere along the line his version of Totoro was transformed into a nightmarish monster made of shaving cream and raw meat with piercing eyes and a penchant for apples. Welcome to the world of Monsters Club, where things are just a little bit different.

Telling the story of Ryochi (Eita) as he lives out his life in the snow drenched log cabin in the Japanese country side, Monsters Club tells the story of one man’s descent into madness as Ryochi begins to manufacture and deliver home made bombs to the CEO’s of multi million dollar companies. Packaged in hand carved cigar cases and inscribed with the initials M.C. Ryochi plans to change the hypocrisies he witnesses in modern Japanese society. Over the course of the titles slim 72 minute runtime we begin to learn what drove the protagonist to committing such abhorrent acts as well as witnessing visitations from the aforementioned monsters.

Shot over a period of two weeks and inspired in part by the work of Japanese performance artist Pyuupiru; Monsters Club isn’t afraid to take the road less travelled as Toshiaki Toyoda explores the Uni Bomber’s manifesto through the use of dreamlike imagery and expositional voice over. Well known for his previous work on titles such as 9 Souls and Blue Spring, Toshiaki Toyoda is a director that is not afraid to explore the often dark reaches of human psyche. Having been through a tumultuous period of life himself Toyoda’s vision feels like the work of an artist coming to terms with his own demons in an act of tearing down the old to replace with the new.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT_-bd2XX7I

Beautifully lensed but rather abstract in its presentation, Monsters Club knows not to outstay its welcome. Whilst it’s meagre run time makes the viewer feel somewhat short changed, Monsters Club paints a picture drenched in Black and Red with a soundtrack that’s as chilling as it is beautiful in its simplicity. To truly get the most out of Monsters Club it seems pertinent to mention that to go to a movie such as this with expectations for traditional cinematic storytelling or a closed ending you are setting yourself up for disappointment. For those however looking for a film that is both hauntingly beautiful yet elegantly ghoulish in its proceedings look no further than this great indie title.